If Caddell was paying attention to the shenanigans of the last two years, I think what scared him was what you touched on.
I read Selena Zitos piece, and it was incisive, because she didn't take a Jane Goodall type of approach to understanding the dynamic that elected Trump.
I dont think the political elite ignored Zito, I think they figure they're either untouchable or that they can scam their way to keeping the status quo that has been going on since Bush 41 imho.
I've thought along the same lines as you with respect to a revolt. Not sure that's how I think it would pan out. I'm thinking more like the Balkans in the 1990s.
In that sense I think AOC is a mirror-image symptom of Trump’s symptom. People are fed-up on both sides, and the only question remaining is which one will be first to the post in taking down the establishment.